Tridecane (CAS 629-50-5) — Citrus Neutral Note Fragrance Ingredient
Tridecane
CAS 629-50-5
What Is Tridecane?
Tridecane is a synthetic hydrocarbon rarely encountered in consumer products. It’s primarily used in industrial applications and specialized fragrance formulations. While not a common fragrance ingredient itself, tridecane serves as a solvent or diluent in some perfume bases and functional products where minimal odor interference is desired.
Safety Profile
GENERALLY SAFEWhat Does Tridecane Smell Like?
Tridecane is nearly odorless to most people, with only a faint waxy or kerosene-like character detectable at high concentrations. Its lack of distinct olfactory properties makes it useful as a neutral carrier in fragrance work. When present in formulations, it doesn’t evolve through top/middle/base phases but remains a quiet background element that neither enhances nor conflicts with other materials.
2D Molecular Structure
SMILES: CCCCCCCCCCCCC
Chemistry, Properties & Perfumer Guide
The Chemistry
Tridecane is a straight-chain alkane with thirteen carbon atoms (C13H28). As a saturated hydrocarbon, it’s chemically inert and non-reactive with most fragrance ingredients. Industrially produced through petroleum distillation and refining processes, it’s part of the paraffin series. The molecule lacks functional groups, contributing to its odorless nature and stability in formulations.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Boiling Point | 234 °C |
|---|---|
| Density | 0.756 g/cm³ |
Perfumer Guide
| Application | Typical % | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Fragrance | 1-5% | Up to 20% | Solvent base |
| Functional Products | 0.5-3% | Up to 10% | Carrier fluid |
Classic Accords
Tip: Use as a neutral diluent for powerful aroma chemicals that require gradual release.
Alternatives & Comparisons
Similar hydrocarbon with slightly lower boiling point, useful when faster evaporation is desired.
Higher molecular weight alternative with slower evaporation rate for extended release applications.
Safety, Regulatory & Sustainability
⚠ Regulatory Disclaimer
General reference only. Consult current IFRA Standards Library before formulating.
IFRA Status
No IFRA restrictions apply to tridecane.
RIFM Assessment
Not currently evaluated by RIFM due to minimal fragrance use.
Sustainability
As a petroleum-derived material, tridecane’s sustainability depends on fossil fuel extraction practices. Synthetic production allows consistent quality control. While not biodegradable, its low volatility minimizes atmospheric impact. Some green chemistry initiatives are exploring bio-based alkane alternatives.
Explore Tridecane
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References
- PubChem Compound Summary for Tridecane PubChem CID:12387
Data: PubChem (NIH), PubMed, RIFM, IFRA. Last reviewed: Apr 2026.
Report a data errorPerfumers Notes
Odor Profile
Gasoline.
Standard Dilution
10% in DPG (standard dilution for most fragrance materials)
Physicochemical Properties
DTXSID: DTXSID6027266
Physical Properties
| Molecular Weight | 184.367 g/mol🔬 EPA CompTox |
| Density | 0.754 g/cm^3🔬 EPA CTX |
| Boiling Point | 234.113 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Melting Point | -5.088 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Flash Point | 85.469 °C🔬 EPA CTX |
| Refractive Index | 1.426 Dimensionless📊 OPERA |
| Molar Volume | 243.123 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
Partition & Solubility
| LogP (Octanol-Water) | 7.444 Log10 unitless🔬 EPA CTX |
| LogD (pH 5.5) | 6.785 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogD (pH 7.4) | 6.785 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| LogKoa (Octanol-Air) | 5.82 Log10 unitless📊 OPERA |
| Water Solubility | 0 mol/L🔬 EPA CTX |
| Henry's Law Constant | 2.903 atm-m3/mole🔬 EPA CTX |
Transport Properties
| Vapor Pressure | 0.048 mmHg🔬 EPA CTX |
| Viscosity | 1.709 cP📊 OPERA |
| Surface Tension | 25.318 dyn/cm📊 OPERA |
| Thermal Conductivity | 135.641 mW/(m*K)📊 OPERA |
Molecular Descriptors
| Topological Polar Surface Area | 0 Ų💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Donors | 0 count💻 Computed |
| H-Bond Acceptors | 0 count💻 Computed |
| Rotatable Bonds | 10 count💻 Computed |
| Aromatic Rings | 0 count💻 Computed |
| Molar Refractivity | 62.276 cm^3/mol📊 OPERA |
| Polarizability | 24.688 Å^3📊 OPERA |
Data Sources:
🔬 EPA Experimental data from U.S. EPA CompTox Chemicals Dashboard & CTX APIs. 📊 OPERA Predicted using EPA's OPERA QSAR models. 💻 Computed Calculated from SMILES using RDKit.
